Two-liquid feeding reflecting device for combustion chambers in propulsion apparatus



y 1951 R. GODDARD TWO-LIQUID FEEDING REFLECTING DEVICE FOR COMBUSTIONCHAMBERS IN PROPULSION APPARATUS Filed May 15, 1948 OR as d.

Patented May 29, 1951 UNITED STATS PATENT OFFICE 2,555,085 TWO-LIQUIDFEEDING itiii mio'rmo on VICE Foe COMBUSTION CHAMBERS IN PROPULSIONAPPARATUS Robert H. Goddard, deceased, late of Annapolis, Md., by EstherC. Goddard, executrix, Worces fer, Mass, assigii'or' of one half to TheDaniel and Florence Guggenheim Foundation, New York, N. 31.; acorporation of New York Application May 15, 1943, Serial No. 27,283

4 Claims. I

This invention relates to combustion chambers, as used in rockets and inother propulsion apparates. in which two different combustion liquidsare used.

It is the general object of this invention to provide improved means forfeeding two diiferent combustion liquids to a combustion chamber and foreffecting intimate intermingling thereof.

A further object is to provide feeding means in which the intermingledliquids are thereafter reflected to a common focal point. In a modifiedconstruction, the intermingled liquids are successively reflected to aseries of such focal points.

The invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of partswhich will be hereinafter described and more'particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

Preferred forms of the invention are shown in the drawing, in which Fig.1 is a sectional elevation of one form of the improved feeding means;

Fig. 2 is a force diagram relating to the structure shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a modified construction.

Referring to Fig. 1, the improved feeding means is shown as mountedaxially at the inner or closed end of a combustion chamber C of theusual form, as shown for instance in prior Goddard Patent No. 2,397,657issued April 2, 1946.

The feeding means comprises an inner pipe l constituting a supply pipefor liquid fuel, as gasoline, and concentric tubular members I2 and Mmounted in spaced relation to provide an annular passage P for anoxidizing liquid, such as liquid oxygen.

The outer tubular member 14 may be welded or otherwise secured in thewall of the chamber 0, and vanes or partitions I6 and H hold the pipe i0and tubular members I2 and 14 in fixed concentric spaced relation. Itwill be understood that the gasoline and liquid oxygen are both suppliedunder substantial pressure.

The pipe l0 and the inner tubular member 12 are separated by an annularspace S which prevents freezing of the gasoline by the liquid'oxygenbefore it enters the chamber C.

At its inner end, the inner tubular member I2 is outwardly expanded atto provide an annular slot 2: between the expanded part 20 and the outertubular member [4. Through this slot a sheet of liquid oxygen isinjected into the combustion chamber.

The outer end of the pipe [0 is similarly expanded at 24, and a cap isprovided which 2 coacts with the expanded portion 24 to provide a secondannular feed slot 2'0 for a sheet of liquid fuel or gasoline. The cap 25is supported on a spider 28 mounted in the inner end of the pipe I0.

The annular sheets of gasoline and liquid oxygen cross and intermingleapproximately at the point K. Very complete and satisfactoryintermingling of the combustion liquids" is thus effected.

A reflecting ring 36 is supported on arms 3| mounted on the outertubular member l4, and the ring 36 is positioned for engagement by theintermingled liquids, as shown by the force diagram in Fig. 2. Thedirection and mass of the gasoline is indicated by the arrow at, and thedirection and mass of the liquid oxygen is indicated by the arrow b. Theresultant direction of travel of the mixed liquids is indicated by thearrow 0. The mixed liquids thus engage the reflecting ring 30 and arereflected to a focal point F, at which the most intense combustion takesplace.

A modified construction is shown in Fig. 3, in

which gasoline is injected under pressure through the expanded end 42 ofthe pipe 49 and a cap M mounted on a spider 45. Liquid oxygen issupplied under pressure through an annular passage P between an outertubular member 50 and an inner tubular member 52. The member 50 iswelded or otherwise firmly secured in the inner end wall of a combustionchamber C, and the parts 40, 52 and 59 are held in spaced concentricrelation by partitions 54 and 55.

The inner end of the outer tubular member 55 is expanded in bell shape,as indicated at 66, and is then reversely displaced and shaped toprovide successive annular reflecting surfaces 6|, 52 and 63 joined tothe bell-shaped portion 66 by an annular curved portion 65. At the innerend of the reflecting portion 6|, a tubular member 66 projects inwardand is expanded at 67 to provide an annular feeding slot 10 adjacent theslot 4| previously described.

The inner tubular member 52 is expanded at its inner end, as indicatedat 12. The partitions 55 are extended to the end of the portion 12 tomaintain the parts 61-12 in spaced relation.

The operation of the modified construction is as follows: Liquid fuel,as gasoline, is supplied under pressure through the pipe 40 and isdelivered as a flat sheet through the annular slot 4|. Liquid oxygen issupplied under pressure to the passage P and then travels through apassage P2 between the bell-shaped parts and I2.

The liquid oxygen then travels reversely through the passage P3 betweenthe bell-shaped part 12 and the inner reflecting portions 6| to 63.

The liquid oxygen is then delivered in sheet form through the passage P4and the annular slot 10 and intermingles with the sheet of gasolineinjected through the adjacent slot 4|.

The intermingled liquids are then reflected by the surface 6| to a focalpoint FI, and such portion of the liquids as remains unvaporized passesthrough the focus and engages the reflecting surface 62 by which it isreflected to a second focal point F2. Any portion of the liquids whichstill remain unvaporized then engages the reflecting surface 63 and isreflected to a third focal point F3.

Three successive reflections are commonly sufficient to insure completevaporization and complete combustion, but it will be understood that theseries of reflections and focal points may be further extended, if founddesirable under special circumstances.

Having described two forms of the invention and the advantages thereof,it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to thedetails herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, butwhat is claimed is:

1. In a combustion chamber, an annular memher having an inner reflectingsurface, and axial means to project adjacent portions of two differentcombustion liquids substantially radially outward against said annularreflecting surface, and said reflecting surface being positioned at anoutward obtuse angle to the axis so that liquids projected against saidsurface are reflected by said surface to a common axial focal pointspaced axially from the entrance point of said liquids to saidcombustion chamber and toward the discharge end of said chamber.

2. In a combustion chamber, an annular member having an inner reflectingsurface, and axial means to project adjacent portions of two differentcombustion liquids substantially radially outward against said annularreflecting surface, and said inner reflecting surface being concave andpositioned generally at an outward obtuse angle, so that liquidsprojected against said surface are reflected by said surface to a commonaxial focal point spaced axially from the entrance point of said liquidsto said combustion chamber and toward the discharge end of said chamber.

3. In a combustion chamber, axial means to feed concentric conicalsheets of two different liquids to a combustion chamber, and saidchamber having an axially extended series of annular reflecting surfacesassociated with said feeding means and by which intermingled portions ofsaid two liquids are reflected to successive and axially spaced focalcombustion points.

4. The combination in a combustion chamber as set forth in claim 3, inwhich each annular reflecting surface is frusto-conical and in which thesuccessive reflecting surfaces are of successively increased diameter.

ESTHER. C. GODDARD, Erecutrix of the Last Will and Testament of RobertH. Goddard, Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,055,366 Schrader Sept. 22, 1936FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 310,899 Great Britain Apr. 26, 1929

